When Should Felons Have Voting Rights Restored?

If laws are just, then obedience to the law is an important part of one's duty. Where laws are unjust, disobedience of the law is often obedience to duty. Any violation of the law can be said to be a felony by whoever makes the law; and in a corrupt system, they are likely to make more felonious the most virtuous violations. There will still be thieves and robbers in the worst society, but political prisoners will pay a higher price the worse the corruption becomes.

So, when should felons be allowed to vote? There's no single answer, is there? It depends on whether what they did was a crime that would be universally recognized, or a crime against the politics of the corrupt. They may be morally unfit to ever vote. They may also be your best guides.

2 comments:

Tom
said...

This is a hard question. In addition to the question of just and unjust laws, my reading on our criminal justice system suggests there are probably quite a few innocent people in prison because they plead guilty to a lesser charge to avoid the possibility of much, much longer sentences that could have resulted from a trial.

Anyway, my answer is that when all of the time is served, whether behind bars or on probation, then all rights should be restored, with the possible exception of the right to bear arms for those convicted of violent felonies.